


Fear Will Be Your Enemy

by helgaahufflepuff



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst with a Happy Ending, Elemental Magic, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Angst, Frozen (Disney Movies) References, Frozen AU, Ice Powers, Idiots in Love, M/M, Merlin Needs a Hug (Merlin), Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Minor Character Death, Oblivious Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Oblivious Merlin (Merlin), Pining, Protective Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Protective Merlin (Merlin), Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-07
Updated: 2020-06-07
Packaged: 2021-03-04 04:00:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24587257
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/helgaahufflepuff/pseuds/helgaahufflepuff
Summary: “Listen to me, Merlin. Your power will only continue to grow. There is beauty in it… but also great danger. You must learn to control it, to wield it responsibly for you and for the safety of those around you. It is not enough to simply master your magic, you must learn not to fear it as you do right now. Fear will be your enemy and if not conquered, death will be the consequence.”Merlin tries to keep his ice magic hidden, he really does, but fate has other plans. Throw in an idiot of a Prince, a frozen Camelot, and an evil sorceress attempting to take over the kingdom and you might just get a love story.OR: Merlin is basically Elsa and this is a Frozen AU.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	Fear Will Be Your Enemy

**Author's Note:**

  * For [itsrainingcats](https://archiveofourown.org/users/itsrainingcats/gifts).



> Hello my dear readers, 
> 
> Ah, what's that I hear you say? Another frozen au? Welp, yep, here it is. Honestly, I have been obsessing over the idea of Merlin with ice powers for the last month and I'm going to share it with the world. If you haven't guessed, this fic is based off of Disney's Frozen! 
> 
> This fic will contain plenty of ice and snow magic, two idiots in love, some angst and feels, and an eventual happy ending! 
> 
> Some notes before we begin:
> 
> 1.) Camelot is essentially Arendelle and I've tried to describe it like Arendelle.  
> 2.) Kilgharrah stands in for the rock trolls and I find this endlessly amusing.  
> 3.) I will be using some spells from Merlin and a few Old English words for terms of endearment (and provide translations if I do use it). 
> 
> A big big thank you to my beta reader and best friend, @itsrainingcats, who also writes for the Merlin fandom so go and check out her wonderful fics! She has three which are amazing. We have her to thank for dragging me into Merthur hell and for making me fall in love with Merlin all over again, so thank you my dear!
> 
> Whilst writing this I listened to the Disney Frozen soundtrack, Do You Want to Build a Snowman, and the Frozen broadway soundtrack, A Little Bit of You, to help me write. Whenever I write a chapter I'll be posting what frozen songs I listened to when writing that chapter, from both films and the musical, in case anyone is interested in listening to them whilst they read!
> 
> I do not own Merlin or any of these characters, please don't copyright strike me BBC :').
> 
> There will be some blood and violence in this fic, but I will trigger warn before each chapter in case anyone is uncomfortable or triggered by these subjects. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy this fic and where it goes, which I'm not 100% sure yet but hey we're here to have fun so we'll see! Thanks for all your support and if you have any questions feel free to comment! 
> 
> \- S
> 
> Translations: 
> 
> mín heofonsteorra - my star
> 
> mín mona - my moon
> 
> Berbay odarthy arisen yeldo - I command

There was a clink against Merlin’s window. Just a small little clink, a noise that by all means should have been quiet but was somehow exceedingly loud. Like the sound of a teaspoon striking against the lip of a bone china cup. It echoed through the small bedroom and chimed in Merlin’s ears. But he ignored the sound. He’d been expecting it.

He pulled his thin bed covers higher and snuggled deeper into his pillow. He’d promised his mother that he’d go and help uncle Gaius collect some herbs in the morning, and the man would have his head if he was late. He wasn’t getting up right now. Not for anything.

Clink!

Merlin groaned and rolled over, dragging his pillow out from under his head and jamming it over his ears. He scowled out into the darkness of his bedroom.

_If I ignore it, he’ll go away._

Clink!

_Just ignore it._

Clink! Clink! Clink!

“Urgh!” Merlin sighed as he pushed the bed cover off of his legs and stumbled sleepily to the window.

He dragged the curtains open and blinked blearily at the dark cobbled streets of Camelot, and the crooked houses that lined his road. He popped the window’s worn latch open and groaned as he heaved the window up, stretching on his tippy toes to push the heavy wooden frame above his head and lock it in place. Merlin rocked back on his heels once the window was secure, and swiped at the sweat that had gathered on his forehead. He hated opening that bloody window.

The smell of brine and fish breezed into his room, and Merlin smiled at the faint, albeit familiar, scent of the fjord. He leaned forward, arms against the window frame and stared out towards the large silhouette of King Uther’s palace. Even in the darkness, the palace was intimidating with its looming turrets and brick as black as onyx. An aura of dread seemed to live in between the palace’s walls. Perhaps it was the souls of the many innocent sorcerers that Uther had murdered over the last decade or so, or just the King’s general unpleasantness that made the castle so abhorrent to look at. For so many years, he had been frightened of the palace. Terrified of the hanging post and pyre that were forever present in the King’s courtyard. Every time there was a public execution, which in Camelot was, sickeningly, a regular occurrence, he’d imagined himself in the place of the magic user Uther had bound to the pyre. Writhing and screaming as the flames grew higher. As much as he wished the fear would go away, he doubted it truly ever would.

What Uther’s palace lacked in colour, the rest of Camelot made up for. Bright, quirky cottages and townhouses stacked up on top of each other along the city’s streets in various different colours. Red chrysanthemum garlands were strung across the market square and down the numerous streets of Camelot. It was a summer tradition within the kingdom, but the garlands tended to remain throughout autumn as well. Hanging the flowers was rumoured to bring good luck and prosperity, an honour to the Old Magic which lurked beyond the mountains which made up Camelot’s borders. As one would expect, Uther hated the flower décor and all that it stood for. It didn’t matter to him that the chrysanthemums used were always in honour of Camelot’s colours – the Pendragon’s colours. Red petals and yellow anthers. Not a single chrysanthemum was allowed over the palace threshold. 

Yes, Uther’s palace in comparison to the rest of the kingdom was indeed an eyesore. One Merlin never lingered on for longer than necessary. He looked past the palace, his eyes roaming hungrily over the sea of black that encircled Camelot and the forest that lay beyond. Merlin loved the fjord. It had always been his favourite part of the city, and he’d spent many hours during the summer wadding through the waves. His mother had even taught him how to swim in the fjord, a rarity among the people of his status, and him and his father had fished there on countless occasions – though he hated it.

Merlin definitely hadn’t practise with his magic down there. Hadn’t accidentally frozen the water’s ripples when he was a bit overexcited as he played in the water, or put his hand under the surface only to find snow in his palm when he lifted it out. Nope. Not at all. Not if his parents or Gaius asked, anyway. You see, Merlin possessed a rare Old Magic. One that harked from his father’s line of elemental magic users, and one that King Uther would definitely have him burned for. Merlin had the ability to create ice and snow with nothing but his fingertips.

His power, according to Gaius and his father, was practically unheard. No one was born with magic, it was practised and studied not inherited. It was not a common gift and though his father broke this rule, as he and his ancestors before him were accomplished with a small amount of natural magic, Merlin’s snow and ice magic was something else entirely. _Blessed_. His family had claimed he was blessed from the moment his magic had first flickered to life on the day he had been born. He had, somehow, made it snow for hours in his mother’s room after he’d been delivered. Him! A tiny newborn baby. _He is a gift from the Old Religion itself._

Now at ten years old, Merlin wasn’t so sure that blessed was the right word. Too often, he felt like a complete outcast. Especially when he looked at the royal palace. Shaking his head, he turned his face away from the castle and looked back down at the street below. A small peddle sailed through the air and hit him straight in the forehead, knocking him from the window ledge. He fell backwards into his room, limbs flailing wildly as he tumbled to the floor with a crash.

“Ow!” He cried out.

Something hot and wet oozed down Merlin’s forehead and he hastily wiped it away with the sleeve of his sleeping shirt. He sat up, ignoring the pounding of his head, and pushed himself up from the floor. On wobbly legs, he made his way back over to the window and peered out to see what had hit him. His eyes narrowed immediately at the figure he spied on the street below.

A tall, scruffy boy with a mess of brown hair stood below his window. A navy blue cloak covered his shoulders, and he wore ragged grey breeches that were a tad too small for him. Not unusual for the people who lived in the slum of the city, known as Ealdor Place. Ealdor was where the servants under Uther’s employment, the carpenters, the blacksmiths, and the labourers of the city tended to live. It was the poorest part of Camelot, but definitely the friendliest. Merlin knew every single one of his neighbours and had known them for his entire life. If he, or his parents, were ever in a pinch then the entire street would go out of their way to help them, and the favour was always returned. The whole street was practically one giant family.

Which is why Merlin instantly knew the boy who hovered outside of his house, scratching his hand head sheepishly as he stared up at Merlin. It was Will. Son of Johnathan, one of the city’s busiest carpenters, and who lived directly across the road from Merlin’s family. He also just so happed to be Merlin’s idiot of a best friend. 

Will grinned up at him cheekily. “Sorry!”

“You could have taken my eye out, Will!”

“But I didn’t. Get dressed! We’re going to build a snowman.”

Merlin stared at him sceptically. “It’s the middle of summer, you idiot.”

“Yeah… and my best friend just so happens to have the power to create ice.” Will rolled his eyes but kept grinning. “Or did you forget that?”

“Are you joking? You know I’m not allowed to use my magic! If someone saw -”

“Nobody’s gonna find out.”

“Dad would know. Or Gaius would find out, y’know what they’re like! They can sense my magic from a mile away.”

Will snorted. “Stop being a wuss and go grab your cloak!”

“But it’s…” Merlin looked at the city’s old clock tower and bite back a moan. “Half past one in the morning, Will!”

“So?”

“So! I can’t just come out to play with you. Gaius will literally _murder me_ if I’m late tomorrow.”

“Gaius smchaius. Let’s go and build a snowman!”

Merlin sighed. “I’m going back to bed, Will.”

“I’ll just keep throwing stones at your window.”

Merlin ignored him and began to make his way back to bed.

“Aw come on, Merlin! Please?” Will pleaded.

“No, Will.”

“I barely see you anymore now you’re apprenticing at Gaius’! Just for tonight?”

“Goodnight, _William_!”

“Don’t call me that! Y’know I hate that.”

Merlin climbed back into his bed, curling up underneath the cool covers. It was quiet for a few moments and then, just as Merlin was sure that Will had given up for the night:

“MERLIN EMRYS IS A CHICKEN!”

Merlin really should have known better.

“Shut up!” He hissed, jumping out of bed and rushing back to the window. “You’ll wake my parents!”

“Get your scrawny bum down here then.”

Merlin sighed but he knew when he was beaten. “Fine. Gimme two minutes.”

He pulled the window down quickly, cutting off Will’s triumphant squawk and popped the stiff latch back into place. He then padded across his room and opened the door. Across the small hallway, Merlin could hear the soft sleepily sighs from his parent’s bedroom. Creeping carefully down the hallway, he made his way to the staircase and tiptoed down the stairs. He shifted his weight gently on each step, minding the one’s which creaked. Finally, he reached the bottom step and grinned in relief for a second, then froze as a low whine came from the floorboard. He stood perfectly still, barely breathing as he listened for his father to come marching down the stairs. Balinor heard everything, even if he was in the midst of sleep.

A few minutes passed and when he was certain that his parents hadn’t heard, Merlin hurried towards the front door where his worn brown cloak sat waiting on the coat peg. He hastily swung it over his shoulders and then pulled on his shoes. Then he gently cracked the front door open and stepped out into the cool summer night.

Will smirked cockily as Merlin joined him. “Knew I could get you to come.”

“You didn’t really give me a choice.”

Will slung an arm around Merlin’s shoulder and steered them down Ealdor Place, and out into the market square.

“Where are we going then?”

“It’s a surprise.” Will said, waggling his eyebrows.

Merlin sighed but didn’t bother to hide his smile. Will was always concocting schemes like this. They’d snuck out plenty of times before and each time they’d successfully managed it without either of their parents catching them, Will’s plans had only become more elaborate. Merlin was shocked they’d gotten away with it for so many years and knew it was only a matter of time before they got caught. But it had been a while since their last adventure. Recently, Will had been working at his father’s carpentry a lot, and Merlin, after some needling from his mother and father, had started to apprentice under Gaius at the family’s Physician. This had left very little time for adventuring for either of them, and Will seemed only too happy to fix that now.

They approached a tall building with maroon bricks and a wide, arched wooden door. The lettering CAMELOT DANCE HALL was painted above the door, gold and worn with age. Will bounced up to the door gleefully and pulled an old brass key from a pocket in his breeches.

Merlin leaned against the wall next to the door and folded his arms across his chest. “What are we doing here, Will?”

“Building a snowman. Duh.”

Will popped the key into the lock and turned it a few times. It opened with a soft click and with a small push from Will, the door swung open. He grinned and then turned to Merlin, bowing to him mockingly.

“After you, your Highness.”

“Oh, shut up. How did you even get the key to this place?”

Will shrugged and stepped into the dance hall’s entryway. “Nicked it from my Dad’s office. He’s been doing some repairs for the dance hall.”

“Will!”

“What? It’s not like he’ll ever find out.”

“So not the point.” Merlin muttered.

Will ignored him and carried on into the building, calling over his shoulder. “Are you coming or not?”

Merlin shook his head but trudged after him. They walked through the dark corridor of the dance hall, both boys being mindful not to touch any of the dance shoes that were scattered about the place, or the dance bags that lay abandoned on the floor. Will incessantly chattered away about the type of snowman he wanted to build but Merlin wasn’t really listening to him. His hands had gone clammy and the nape of his neck was sweating profusely.

It had been a few weeks since he’d last used his magic and it had been steadily building beneath his skin, aching for release more each day. He hadn’t dared to touch it though. Gaius and his father had gone mental when they’d last caught him playing with his power. He’d manifested a snow cloud to follow him around as he picked herbs from the meadow that sat just outside of the city’s walls. The heat had been sweltering and he’d only wanted to cool himself down for a few minutes, he didn’t really see what he’d done wrong. Balinor and Gaius didn’t see it that way. His father had cuffed him round the head and grounded him for a week, and Gaius had lectured him about the importance of keeping his magic hidden for hours, and how Merlin was not to use it on a frivolous whim.

Like he was about to now. Ahead of him, Will pulled open a mahogany set of double doors and strode into the dance hall. Merlin hesitated behind him for a moment and then quickly followed, closing the doors shut behind him. Will stood in the centre of the hall appraising the space around them, grinning wildly from ear to ear. The room was draped in moonlight, it crept in through the high arched windows which lined the walls. A few ballet barres were messily stacked together in the corner of the hall, and the wooden floor was scratched from years of enjoyment and use. Merlin and his parents had been here countless times, dancing with their friends and neighbours at the winter solstice celebration and the yearly Yule party, frolicking about recklessly at the spring equinox gala, whirling around the dance floor at the summer solstice festival, and swaying gently together as one at the autumn harvest banquet. Not to mention the numerous birthdays and wedding parties that were held in the hall too. Indeed, Merlin was no stranger to the dance hall. No one in Camelot was – even the Pendragons sometimes attended the commoners festivities, despite holding their own at the royal palace where the entire kingdom was welcome.

As Merlin crossed the room and approached Will, Will threw his arms out and spun around in a circle, encompassing the freedom that one often felt in the dance hall.

“Go on then, do your thing!” Will shouted, unrestrained and slightly feral. “Let’s build a snowman!”

But Merlin didn’t move. He usually felt so light here in the dance hall, exempt from the usual pressures that accompanied him and what he was. Yet, sweat gathered above his brow and his heart thundered in his chest. _Merlin, you’re not allowed to do magic._ His father’s voice echoed in his head _. It is forbidden, they will kill you!_

Will turned to look at him frowning, his brows knitted together. “What is it?”

“Nothing! It’s nothing, I just…”

Merlin bit his bottom lip and twisted his hands together, anxiously. As much as he’d tried to explain to Will about his fear of being discovered, he knew that his best friend could never really understand the dread that Merlin felt every minute of his life. Will wasn’t the one who was destined to burn at the pyre after all. Sensing his thoughts in a way that only Will could, he wrapped his arms around Merlin and pulled him in close.

“You trust me, yeah?” Will whispered, his breath tickling the back of Merlin’s neck.

“… Yeah. Y’know I do.”

“Then do your magic, Merlin. Just have some fun with it for once, yeah? Magic is meant to be fun!” He released Merlin and smirked devilishly, a wicked glint in his eyes. “Go on, do it!”

Excitement bubbled in Merlin’s stomach and he couldn’t help but grin. Will’s enthusiasm was truly infectious, and Merlin was so tired of hiding who he was. The power he held. He took a deep breath and cupped his palms together. Will instinctively took a small step back, but Merlin ignored him. The pull of his magic thrummed in his veins and frost crackled and licked his fingertips. He screwed his face up in concentration, letting the magic completely envelope his hands and after a few moments he threw them up into the air. A blue ball of energy careened upwards from his palms, then burst as it hit the ceiling. Snow scattered and rained down around the room, floating gently through the air.

Will screamed in delight and began to twirl around on the spot, hands upraised like he was about to start praying. He grabbed at the air fiercely, trying to catch the snowflakes that danced around them.

“This is amazing!”

Merlin beamed. “If you think that’s cool, then watch this!”

He stamped his foot on the ground and magic soared through him, flaring out through his skin and spreading out onto the floor. Deep blue ice fanned out from beneath him and coated the dance floor. Will gazed around in awe. He tentatively took a step towards Merlin, and promptly lost his footing and slid across the ice, giggling breathlessly as he barrelled straight into Merlin.

“Let’s build a snowman!”

On shaky legs, he dragged Merlin over to a large pile of snow and sank down onto his knees. He began to roll a small ball of snow in between his palms, then pushed it through the snow pile around them. With each push, the ball of snow grew just that little bit bigger until it was so large that Will could barely push it anymore. He flopped on top of the ball and breathed in out and raggedly, as if he’d just sprinted down to the city’s bakery to get in line to buy a semla, his favourite cream cake. He turned his head to scowl at Merlin.

“Well don’t just stand there! Help me, he needs a middle part and a head too.”

Merlin rolled his eyes but quickly fell to his knees, and began to roll the middle part of the snowman’s body. It took about fifteen minutes for the boys to assemble and roll the other two balls of snow, and then carefully stack them on top of each other. Once they were finished, Will plucked the buttons off of his cloak and stuck them into snowman’s face for eyes. He fished a carrot out from his trouser pocket and jammed beneath the snowman’s eyes. They stood back to admire their work, and though it was shoddy, and the snowman was slightly lopsided, Merlin thought it looked cute.

“Something’s missing…” Will pondered, his eyes roaming over the snowman.

“I mean, he doesn’t have any arms.”

“No that’s not it.”

Will frowned at the snowman for a few moments, then flicked his fingers in a ‘ah-ha!’ moment and quickly shrugged out of his cloak. He swung over the snowman’s body and tied a knot in the front to keep it in place. He grinned at his handiwork and turned to Merlin.

“To keep him warm.”

“It’s a snowman, Will.”

“Snowmen get cold too, Merlin. Geez!”

They skated around the room for a bit after that, slipping and sliding across the ice. Will dragged the snowman behind them and swung him around in a poor attempt at a waltz, and Merlin, with his magic, propelled the snowman forward on a faint flurry of snow. The boys span and danced on the ice, crashing into each other every now and collapsing onto the floor in fits of laughter.

“Let’s play a game!”

Merlin narrowed his eyes. “What kind of game?”

“A game of catch.” Will said deviously as he picked himself up from the ground. “But instead of catching a ball, you have to catch me instead!”

“Wait, hang on –”

Will jumped off the ground. Merlin immediately threw his hand out, and a small pile of snow jutted up from the ground for Will to safely land on. Will’s smile was triumphant as he stared down at Merlin.

“See? It’s fun!”

And then he was off. Bouncing onto one pillar of snow after another. Merlin tried to not make them too high, he really did, but Will pleaded for him to make them taller and Merlin just couldn’t say no. Will kept on jumping. Throwing his small body into the open air, again and again. Merlin held his hands out, erecting pillar after pillar. He faltered slightly, a half-formed pillar crumbling to the floor, and then he quickly threw up another ill-formed mountain of snow. Will leapt onto it, laughing loudly, and then sprang into the air again.

“Slow down!” Merlin warned.

But Will didn’t slow. “Catch me!”

He bounded off of the tower of snow and in his haste to create another pillar, Merlin slipped on the ice beneath him and fell. His head knocked into the floor with a sharp crack, but he ignored the pain and quickly sat up again. Will was sailing through the air and Merlin’s magic shot out from him, snow and ice twisting together.

“Will!”

His magic hit the side of Will’s head and with a small cry, the boy’s body collided with the floor with a sickening thud. There was an awful moment of silence. A moment where Merlin could only stare at his best friend’s lifeless body, crumpled on the floor like a puppet who’s strings had been cut. And then that moment ended, and Merlin was up and racing to Will. He fell to his knees at Will’s side and pulled his body close, shaking him a little.

“W-will?” He whispered, tears gathering in his eyes.

A dot of white blossomed on a strand of Will’s dark brown hair and shimmered, spreading across the strand until it was completely white. Like his hair had been dipped in ivory paint. Horror roiled inside of Merlin. _What have I done?_ His bottom lip wobbled, and he shook Will’s shoulder again.

“Will?” Merlin croaked.

Will still didn’t move. Merlin clutched the boy to his chest and began to sob. “Somebody help!”

Something broke inside of Merlin as he held Will and cried and with it, a part of his magic broke too. Beneath them, the ice they sat on shifted into something darker. Where the ice before had been a beautiful cerulean, clear and safe, it was now tinted black. Spiked icicles erupted from the ground and walls, poking out in awkward angles. The snowman that he and Will had built together crumbled and melted into nothing, leaving behind Will’s wet cloak and a discarded carrot. A thin layer of ice spread upwards, over the dance hall’s large doors and coated the ceiling, splintering the wooden beams that held the dance hall together. The entire room groaned, cold and frozen, from the weight of Merlin’s misery as he held his best friend.

“I’m sorry! I’m so sorry, Will!”

The doors to the hall trembled violently for a second, and Merlin’s head snapped up as it burst open. Two figures stood silhouetted in the dark hallway and it wasn’t until they stepped into the room that Merlin recognised them.

“Mum! Dad!”

Balinor and Hunith Emrys were still clad in their night clothes. As if they’d been so worried about him that they hadn’t even bothered to change. His mother was dressed in a thin lilac nightgown and a heavy woollen cloak, with half of the clasps clumsily buttoned up. Her dark hair was swept back into a braid and she was still in her slippers. Balinor, though nowhere near as exposed as his wife, was still in his striped sleeping shirt and bottoms. He too had hastily donned a cloak, a midnight black one with tiny silver stars and moons embroidered into the fabric. His mother had made his father the cloak for one of his birthdays, and Merlin had always thought of it as his sorcerer’s cloak. He too was wearing slippers. His parents surveyed the scene quickly, taking in the jagged ice and frozen floor, and then immediately ran towards their son.

“Merlin, what have you done? This is getting out of hand!” Balinor barked at him.

“It was an accident! Will and I were playing, and he kept jumping, and – ”

Hunith slid onto her knees next to Merlin, pulling Will away from him and into her arms. She brushed her hand over his forehead and gasped. “He’s ice cold! Balinor, what should we do?”

“We have to take Will to… _him_.”

“But Balinor, what if – ”

“There is no other way! He’ll only continue to grow colder and colder, unless the ice from his body is removed.” Balinor grabbed at his hair in frustration. “My magic isn’t strong enough to remove it.”

“We swore we wouldn’t take Merlin to see him, Balinor!”

Balinor put a hand on Hunith’s arm. “I know, love. But we don’t have a choice, Will needs help.”

They stared at each other, a thousand unspoken words between them. Merlin tried to work out what they were attempting to communicate, but then Hunith squared her shoulders and stood, Will still cradled in her arms. Balinor pulled Merlin to his feet.

“We’ll need horses and we should get Gaius along the way. He’ll be able to help too.”

Balinor nodded and swept Merlin up into his arms. “You take Will to the horses. Merlin and I will get Gaius. We’ll meet you at the city’s stables.”

Hunith nodded and then, clutching Will tightly to her chest, sped across the dance hall floor and out the doors. Merlin stared after them mournfully, his heart as cold and cracked as the ice around him.

“He’s going to die, isn’t he?” Merlin whimpered.

“No, Merlin. Will is going to be alright.”

“It’s all my fault. You kept telling me that my magic wasn’t safe, and I didn’t listen! And now Will is – ”

Balinor pressed his forehead against his son’s. “I swear to you Merlin, Will is going to be fine. We’re going to take him to someone who will help him but there’s something we need to do here first.”

Merlin swallowed then nodded, curling into his father’s arms. “What do we need to do?”

“We need to get rid of all the ice and snow.”

“I… I don’t want to use my magic again. Please don’t make me, Dad!”

Balinor looked down at him. His father suddenly looked much older, his eyes were sorrowful and the muscles in his face were tight. Merlin thought he might try and force him to do magic for a moment, but his father simply nodded and turned his attention back to the dance hall.

“ ** _Ace wele_**.” Balinor whispered, eyes glowing golden.

Around them, Merlin’s ice and snow began to break down and disintegrate. A small whirlwind formed in the middle of the room, and the piles of snow that were dotted around the dance hall were swept in instantly. The whirlwind sped round the room, sucking in chunks of ice and any leftover snow, until the dance hall was free from frost. Balinor snapped his fingers and the whirlwind disappeared.

“What spell was that, Dad?”

“A destroying spell. Now, no one will know about what happened here tonight.” He adjusted Merlin in his arms and headed towards the door. “Come, let’s go and get your Uncle.”

-

Gaius was crotchety when they arrived at his house in the Royal Quarter. His house, unlike Merlin and his parents’, was large and regal. It was an umber coloured townhouse, a standard for important workers in Camelot, and was not only Gaius’ home but the best Physician’s practice in the kingdom. King Uther himself, along with the other members of the royal family, frequented the place when they were unwell or in need of a good sleeping draught. His uncle had on many occasions asked Merlin and his parents to move in with him. It would make sense for them to live there, considering they all worked at the practice anyway. But his parents had insisted that they preferred living in Ealdor Place, so they’d stayed there.

His uncle glared as he opened the front door. To be fair, Merlin supposed he would be annoyed as well if someone had started banging on his door in the middle of the night. His uncle, like his parents, was in a red night gown and slippers when he opened the door. His white, shoulder length hair was dishevelled, and he clutched candlestick holder, with a lit candle, in his hand. He eyed Merlin and Balinor sceptically and stared at the small trail of ice that lay behind them, frowning.

“Oh, Merlin. What have you got yourself into now?” Gaius grunted, pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Uncle Gaius!” Merlin said tearfully. “I’ve killed Will!”

“I beg your pardon?”

Balinor rolled his eyes and cuffed his son gently around the head. “You haven’t killed him, mín heofonsteorra.”

Merlin ignored him and began to rattle off the tale to his uncle. “Will and I broke into the dance hall – ”

“Merlin!” Gaius admonished, eyes widening in shock.

“And I used my magic so we could build a snowman –”

“Merlin, for goodness sake how many times have I told you –”

“Then Will wanted to play a game of catch, only I didn’t think he meant for me to catch him, but he did! And I couldn’t manifest the snow mountains fast enough, and then I-I accidentally hit him with my magic and now Will’s dying!” Merlin finished, a fresh bout of tears fell down his cheeks.

Gaius gaped at them and then snapped his jaw shut, clinching it tightly. Merlin swore he could hear the old man’s teeth grinding together. Balinor smiled grimly and patted Gaius on the shoulder.

“My son is a wonder, isn’t he?”

“He’s certainly… something.”

Merlin pouted through his tears. “I’m right here!”

“I know, mín heofonsteorra. How could we ever forget?” Balinor tousled his son’s hair affectionately and then faced Gaius again, face tight. “Merlin accidentally hit Will with his magic and now I believe there is ice in his body.”

“Ice in his body?”

Balinor nodded. “There’s too much of it for me to remove on my own.”

“Well you know I won’t be of much use, my enchantments focus on healing after all not removing.” Gaius said. “But I will do whatever I can to help the boy.”

“Thank you, Gaius, I appreciate the help. But you and I alone will still not be enough to remove the ice fragment… there’s someone we need to summon.”

Gaius sucked in a breath, his face paling. “Surely not…?”

“Unfortunately yes.”

“Balinor! You cannot summon that… creature.” Gaius fumed. “I thought we agreed that Merlin would never –”

“I know what we agreed, Gaius!” Balinor snapped, his arms tightening around Merlin. “And believe me if there were any other solution, you know I would take it. But there isn’t, and Will needs help. Immediately. If the ice continues to spread throughout his body…”

Merlin looked between his uncle and father, trying to figure who they were talking about. The men stared one and other down, a silent conversation clearly taking place between them. Merlin frowned. Why did grown-ups keep doing that?

“Alright.” Gaius conceded wearily. “Alright, I’ll come. Just let me grab my cloak.”

“Thank you, Gaius. I am, once again, in your debt.”

Gaius scoffed as he pulled his beaten brown cloak down from a coat rack in the entryway of his home. “You are family, Balinor. There is never any debt where you or Merlin or Hunith are concerned.”

-

They joined Hunith at the city’s stable. His mother was frantically pacing as they arrived, Will still clasped in her arms. He looked even paler then he had in the dance hall, his skin was waxen, and the white streak in his hair was stark in the moonlight. Almost ethereal. Will was shivering in Hunith’s arms, but his eyes remained closed. Merlin’s stomach wrenched at the sight. _My fault. All my fault._

Three horses, a white mare, a sleek black stallion, and a brown stallion, were waiting behind his mother. All of them were saddled and ready to be ridden. How she had gotten them out of the stables without waking the stable hand, Merlin didn’t know. His father seemed to be thinking the same thing.

“How ever did you get the horses out, Hunith?” He asked as they approached.

Hunith seemed to visibly melt at the sound of her husband’s voice, but she quickly tensed again once she spotted the path of ice which trailed behind them.

“I used a spell and asked them to follow me.” She said, shrugging her shoulders like it was no big deal.

“Hunith!” Gaius chastised.

“Mum, you did magic?” Merlin marvelled at his mother in awe.

Balinor, despite the seriousness of the situation, smiled at his wife with mirth. “What spell did you use?”

“ ** _Berbay odarthy arisen yeldo_** _._ I’ve heard you use it a few times when you can’t be bothered to do the chores.”

“We’ll make an enchantress out of you yet, mín mona.” Balinor chuckled and gazed at her tenderly.

“Be serious, Balinor! If she had been caught –”

“Oh, it was only for an emergency and we have bigger issues at hand, Gaius!” Hunith hissed and nodded down at the boy in her arms. Then she narrowed her eyes at the three of them. “Now, can one of you please explain why there is a trail of ice following my son?”

Balinor’s face became hard once more. “We’ll have to worry about that later. We need to take Will to Avalon meadow, immediately.”

Hunith nor Gaius argued. They moved quickly towards their horses. Gaius took Will from Hunith’s arms for a moment, so that his sister could mount the mare. He then passed the child back up into Hunith’s arms and turned to mount the brown stallion, grumbling slightly as he threw a leg over the beast. Gaius wasn’t a fan of horses.

Balinor moved towards the black stallion. He lifted Merlin onto the steed first, making sure that he was seated securely. Then he mounted the horse and turned to the others.

“Follow me and do not stray.” He said calmly.

Then he yanked on the horse's reigns and they sped off towards Camelot’s gates, Hunith and Gaius close behind.

-

Merlin had never been to Avalon meadow before. He’d heard whispers about the meadow from the other children in his neighbour. How it was a cursed piece of land and that every living thing that stepped into the meadow was slowly, but surely, drained of life. Gaius and his parents had warned him time after time not to stray past the fields that bordered Camelot. That something dangerous lurked in the rolling hills and forest that lay beyond the city.

So, as they rode through the dark forest, heading towards the place that his parents had so often warned him against, it was safe to say that Merlin was highly curious as to why they needed to take Will there.

“Why are we going to Avalon meadow, Dad?”

Balinor didn’t answer right away, and after a few minutes had passed Merlin assumed he wouldn’t get an answer. Then, gruffly, his father said. “Avalon meadow is the most magic infused place within Camelot’s borders. It is the only place Will can be properly healed.”

“If it’s a place of magic then why wasn’t I allowed to go there before?”

“Just because it is a place where magic roams free, Merlin, does not mean it is safe.” Balinor murmured, his hands clutching the horse’s reins. Conversation closed.

They rode for what felt like hours – at least to Merlin it did. Darting through the tall pine trees and wading across numerous small streams, it seemed like the forest was endless. That it would continue on and on, and Will would surely die before they ever made it to Avalon meadow. When finally, the treeline ahead of them cleared and a wide open field spread before them.

Soft orbs of light flitted around the clearing, squealing delightfully as Merlin and his family approached. Dandelions and cornflowers, which had been wilted and gnarled, bloomed happily – turning the meadow white and blue. The green grass, which was tall and luscious, seemed to stand to attention, straightening up and swaying playfully in the summer breeze. Even the jagged rocks of the mountain’s cliff face which lay at the far end of the meadow, seemed to soften.

“We’re here.” Balinor said, dismounting from his horse. He plucked Merlin up from the horse’s saddle and set him on his feet. Gaius got down from his horse and took Will from Hunith’s arms, allowing her to dismount safely. She quickly took Will back into her arms and Merlin joined her, his eyes scanning over Will’s lifeless form. _My fault, my fault, my fault_.

“I will summon the beast. Gaius you are welcome to join me since you know him, but you two.” Balinor nodded his head at Hunith and Merlin. “Should stay here. He has not met you before and he can be… temperamental.”

Before he could move away, Hunith grabbed his cloak and pulled him to her. She kissed Balinor’s cheek gently, Merlin scrunched his nose up at the sickly sweet gesture, and murmured. “Be careful.”

Balinor pressed his forehead against Hunith’s. “I will, mín mona.”

Then he turned and nodded at Gaius, and the two of them strode to the middle of meadow. Before they reached the centre, Balinor turned to Gaius and said something that Merlin couldn’t hear from where he stood. But Gaius nodded and remained where he was, as his father walked a few spaces forward. To the very centre of Avalon.

“What is he doing, Mum?” Merlin whispered, wringing his hands nervously.

“Summoning something dark, sweetheart. Something very dark.”

“Will it help save Will?”

Hunith’s lips tightened. “He better.”

Finally, Balinor stopped and raised his arms out in the air. He must have cast an amplification spell on himself, for what he said next echoed powerfully around the meadow.

“Kilgharrah!” Balinor bellowed, eyes a molten gold. “ ** _O drakon, e male so ftengometta tsed’hup’annakes!”_**

For a few moments, nothing happened. Merlin stared at his father, watching him as he continued to look out towards the mountains. What was he waiting for? Merlin wasn’t sure, but as the minutes ticked by his skin began to prickle. Something… something powerful was coming. He didn’t know how he could sense it, but somehow he could. Something ancient and wicked was advancing towards them, and the magic inside of Merlin sang. The ground began to shake beneath them, and Merlin instinctively moved towards his mother and Will. Not to hide, but to protect them from what was coming. He had never felt such an intense amount of magic before, not even from himself. His blood boiled and frost coiled in his stomach. The sensation was familiar, like coming home after a long day working with Gaius, and yet it wasn’t.

With a roar, a ginormous being careened over the top of the mountain, and swooped down into the meadow below. The meadow trembled as the creature landed and where Gaius backed up a few paces, Merlin’s father stood his ground, boldly staring at the creature. It was a dragon, he realised as his ears rang and sparks of ice flew from his fingers and spiked on the ground. His father had summoned a dragon.

Merlin had never seen a being so beautiful or as terrifying. The dragon was massive. It towered over the trees and it’s body engulfed the entire meadow from where Balinor stood. Its scales were a buttery gold, but seemed to shift from a tawny brown to a grassy green depending on how the light caught the dragon’s hide. Its wings were huge and bat like, with thin golden membrane stretched taut across thick bones. But it was the dragon’s eyes that Merlin found he couldn’t look away from. They were bright gold and piercing, as if they could see into a person’s very soul. Merlin guessed that the probably could.

“It has been an age since you last called for me, Dragonlord.” The dragon spoke in a deep haunting voice, and as he spoke the land around them fell silent. “As I recall, the last time we spoke you banished me from these lands. And ah… I see you have brought Gaius with you.”

Gaius bowed his head respectfully. “Kilgharrah.”

Kilgharrah nodded back and then turned back to Balinor, his eyes catching on Merlin and his mother. “And I suppose that is your family.” It wasn’t a question.

“Yes, Great Dragon. That is my son, Merlin and my wife, Hunith. But you already knew that.”

“I did indeed, Dragonlord. But it is nice to have the confirmation. Now, why have you summoned me back to these lands? You forbade me from ever entering them again.”

“It was not without reason that I banished you, Kilgharrah. You were no longer safe in Camelot, you know that.”

Kilgharrah’s eyes narrowed. “I did not wish to be banished from Camelot, Balinor.”

“They would have imprisoned you had I not ordered you away.”

“ _This was my home_!” The dragon suddenly thundered, eyes flashing with fury. “And you forced me to leave!”

“Kilgharrah, whatever ailments you have with me we can discuss them later. Right now, I must ask for your help. My son has struck another with his elemental magic. There is ice in his friend’s body and I alone am not strong enough to remove it.”

“And why should I assist you after what you have done to me, Balinor?”

“Please, Kilgharrah.” Balinor begged and got down on one knee, bowing his head. “Please save the child. I would not ask this of you if it weren’t so serious.”

Though Merlin could sense that the dragon was still extremely angry, curiosity began to dance in his ancient golden eyes. “Hmmm… your son. Was he born, cursed, or is he currently learning the gift?”

Balinor hesitated and then sighed in resignation. “Born with the powers, and they’re getting stronger each day that passes.”

Kilgharrah’s eyes glinted ferally now, and though it wasn’t quite a smirk, the dragon’s lips curled triumphantly. Like a cat that had caught the canary and was about to swallow it whole. “Interesting… let me see the other child.”

Balinor turned back to Merlin and his mother, and beckoned them forward. Hunith, though still holding Will, managed to tuck Merlin into her side, shielding him from the dragon’s inquisitive stare as they walked forward. When they reached Balinor, his father grabbed Merlin gently and tugged him close. Hunith brought Will forward and with shaky arms lifted him up for the dragon to nose at it.

All of them tensed as Kilgharrah’s nostrils flared and pushed his huge snout carefully against Will’s head. Merlin’s magic flared and he bit his bottom lip to stop himself from sending a wave of icicles at the dragon’s head. Kilgharrah continued to sniff at Will and then he nodded to himself and withdrew his nose.

“You’re lucky the ice didn’t strike his heart. The heart is not so easily changed, but the head is easily persuaded.”

“Do what you must, Kilgharrah.”

The dragon eyed Will thoughtfully and then exhaled a cloud of smoke from his nostrils. Figures jumped and played in the smog, pushing each other over and laughing. Magic sizzled and crackled, ice encrusting the two figures as they jumped joyfully around. With a start, Merlin realised it was him and Will. Kilgharrah was showing them Will’s memories.

“I recommend that we remove all magic from the boy, even memories of magic, just to be safe.” Kilgharrah exhaled again and Will’s memories began to shift and change. The ice in Will’s memories began to disappear and instead of ice shooting from Merlin’s hands, or snow following him as he walked, normal winter snow scenes replaced them. And then, in a voice that was unusually soft for a dragon, Kilgharrah said to Merlin. “But don’t worry, I left the fun. He will remember you and all the adventures you had together. He will be okay now.”

Kilgharrah blew the smoke towards Will’s forehead and it faded into his skin. The white streak in the front of his hair, however, did not fade. He stirred ever so slightly. Hunith pulled Will away from Kilgharrah and bowed her head to him.

“Thank you, Great Dragon.”

Kilgharrah tipped his head down to her.

“But… Will won’t remember I have magic?” Merlin sniffled, trying not cry again.

Balinor knelt down next to him and whispered. “It’s for the best, Merlin. He was never supposed to know you had magic in the first place.”

Kilgharrah’s old eyes were fixed on Merlin now, and Merlin shivered. “Listen to me, Merlin. Your power will only continue to grow.” The dragon blew out a smoke cloud and a tall boy stood shooting icicles and forming snowflakes, other figures oohing and awing in awe. Merlin gazed in wonder at the spectacle. “It has been many years since I met someone with the abilities that you possess, and they too found it difficult to use their power. There is beauty in it… but also great danger.” Screams of horror erupted as the cloud flashed red, the lanky boy being swallowed up in ice and the frightened figures around him attacking. Merlin swallowed a scream. “You must learn to control it, to wield it responsibly for you and for the safety of those around you. It is not enough to simply master your magic, you must learn not to fear it as you do right now. Fear will be your enemy and if not conquered, death will be the consequence.”

“No!” Merlin wailed, bunching his hands in his father’s cloak. “I don’t want to hurt anyone!”

“It won’t come to that, mín heofonsteorra.” Balinor assured and squeezed his son’s shoulder. He turned back to look at Kilgharrah. “I can help him learn to control it.”

Gaius flanked Merlin’s other side and smiled at him gently. “As can I.”

The dragon didn’t seem appeased by this. He watched them all with knowing eyes and Merlin could have sworn there was a slither of sorrow in his face. “Then we must hope you two will be enough. Now, I have one last thing to say before you send me away again.”

“Kilgharrah –” Balinor began.

“There is another prophecy regarding you, young warlock. One that involves the Pendragon boy.”

“Prince Arthur?” Merlin asked, his eyebrows furrowed. “What about him?”

“You are two sides of the same coin. Some would say that your souls are one and the same. It is, and always has been, your destiny to serve and protect Arthur Pendragon.”

“There must be a mistake, the Pendragons hate magic!” Balinor hissed. “Uther is quick to execute any innocent soul who dares to dabble in magic out of desperation, let alone those who naturally possess the gift. If he knew about Merlin’s magic, the depth of power he possesses… ” Balinor squeezed his eyes shut in pain and tightened his grip on Merlin’s shoulder.

“Are you sure that this prophecy is correct, Kilgharrah?” Gaius asked tentatively.

“His unity with the Once and Future King could save us all, Gaius. It is the key that will unlock the door to magic being allowed into Camelot once more.”

“But… I’ve never even spoken to the Prince! He’s pompous and arrogant. He only cares for himself and seems like a right clotpole. I’d sooner be friends with a troll than be friends with him!” Merlin babbled, crossing his arms petulantly.

“Merlin.” Hunith chided.

“What? It’s true!”

Kilgharrah seemed amused now and if a dragon could smile, Merlin would have sworn blind that’s what Kilgharrah did. “It may seem hard to believe right now, young warlock, but there will come a day where you cannot fathom not being by Prince Arthur’s side. Unite our two peoples, Merlin Emrys. You are the only one who can. This will not be the last time that you and I will meet, but for now I bid you all farewell. Gaius. Hunith. Balinor.”

Kilgharrah bowed his head once more, and then the dragon unfurled his great wings and shot into the sky, letting out a mighty roar as he flew away, leaving silence in his wake.

-

Afterwards, they took Will home and explained to his father, Jonathan, that he and Merlin had snuck out in the middle of the night. Hunith lied and told Jonathan that Will had hit his head on their outing, and that Gaius had treated him. Will's father had cried and Merlin had too, but for an entirely different reason. It was his fault Will had been hurt in the first place. And as Merlin watched Jonathan the carpenter cradle his best friend, weeping like a child, Merlin vowed he would never put Will in harm’s way again.

So, the next evening, in the dead of night, when there was inevitably a clink at Merlin’s window, he froze. Ice nervously skittered through his fingers and up his arms. He heard Will calling his name softly from the street below. Heard the _Clink! Clink! Clink!_ of stones smacking against the windowpane. But this time, instead of giving in and opening the window, Merlin burrowed under his bed covers and cried, tears freezing against his cheeks. 

The stones continued for hours, Will’s voice growing more impatient and annoyed. Merlin hated it. Hated that he was hurting his best friend like this, but every time he shut his eyes he could see Will sailing through the air, his magic smacking the side of his face, and Will’s body hitting the floor. When dawn broke, Will finally went home and Merlin wept into his pillow. Mourning for their friendship which would now always be just a little bit broken.

After that night, Will didn’t throw stones at Merlin’s window again.


End file.
